Fundamentals of Nutrition Policy and Programming: How Science and Practice Interact

Course Details

Course Description

This is a course that will allow students at the Friedman School to become familiar with policy processes (domestic and international), typologies of policy initiatives (laws, regulations, program interventions, legal restrictions and systems, institutional mandates), and to be able to critically analyze and discuss how policy and science interact with regard to food and nutrition. The class will cover: a) how science influences the policy agenda, and how policy debates influence the scientific agenda; b) the scientific underpinnings of food and nutrition policies; c) how empirical findings in scientific research and operational programming make their way into policy and law; d) debates and controversies in US and international nutrition; e) the range of options for intervention that exist (to improve nutrition), and those that are used; f) how do we know what works best and what the alternatives might be?; g) approaches to problem assessment and measurement; h) success stories in the nutrition pantheon; i) constraints to success (what makes or breaks major program successes), and j) key institutions and organizations involved in nutrition policy and programming in the U.S. and around the world.

NOTE: NUTR 0203 will meet in the Jaharis Behrakis Auditorium (Room 130) except on October 4 when class will meet in the Sackler DeBlois Auditorium and October 18 when class will attend Friedman's 40th Anniversary Celebration and the Jean Mayer Prize for Excellence in Nutrition Science and Policy Award Ceremony.